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Suleiman the Magnificent
Ruler of the world; Slave of a woman...
His name was Suleiman; enemies as well as friends called The Magnificent. Unlike others of his people, his eyes were gray. Perhaps that made him different from the start.
Suleiman was twenty-five when he was recalled to Constantinople at the death of his father, the Sultan. Accepting his responsibility with some misgivings, he ruled Turkey with a firm but fair hand. But to sixteenth century Europe, he was a pitiless and unrelenting conquerer, as bloodthirsty and ruthless as the age that bred him.
At the peak of his manhood, Suleiman's cup was full. He rode unchallenged over half the world, and in his household waited gentle Gulbehar, his First Kadir, the favorite of his harem.
Suleiman paid little attention to the others in his harem-- until he heard the strange, spirited singing of Khurrem, the newly-bought, Russian slave girl. Stubborn, brazen, impudent, the slight, fair-haired slave who never wept when she was beaten would have told anyone who asked that she would one day be First Kadir; that further, she would yet be the legal wife to the Sultan.
And so Suleiman, scourge of the world, listened to the singing of a slave, hated her even while he loved her, and was powerless to stay the sweep of her influence. Suleiman the Magnificent, the ruthless, the barbarous, had met his match...
His name was Suleiman; enemies as well as friends called The Magnificent. Unlike others of his people, his eyes were gray. Perhaps that made him different from the start.
Suleiman was twenty-five when he was recalled to Constantinople at the death of his father, the Sultan. Accepting his responsibility with some misgivings, he ruled Turkey with a firm but fair hand. But to sixteenth century Europe, he was a pitiless and unrelenting conquerer, as bloodthirsty and ruthless as the age that bred him.
At the peak of his manhood, Suleiman's cup was full. He rode unchallenged over half the world, and in his household waited gentle Gulbehar, his First Kadir, the favorite of his harem.
Suleiman paid little attention to the others in his harem-- until he heard the strange, spirited singing of Khurrem, the newly-bought, Russian slave girl. Stubborn, brazen, impudent, the slight, fair-haired slave who never wept when she was beaten would have told anyone who asked that she would one day be First Kadir; that further, she would yet be the legal wife to the Sultan.
And so Suleiman, scourge of the world, listened to the singing of a slave, hated her even while he loved her, and was powerless to stay the sweep of her influence. Suleiman the Magnificent, the ruthless, the barbarous, had met his match...
368 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1951
47 people are currently reading
643 people want to read
About the author
Harold Lamb
129 books161 followersHarold Albert Lamb was an American historian, screenwriter, short story writer, and novelist.
Born in Alpine, New Jersey, he attended Columbia University, where his interest in the peoples and history of Asia began. Lamb built a career with his writing from an early age. He got his start in the pulp magazines, quickly moving to the prestigious Adventure magazine, his primary fiction outlet for nineteen years. In 1927 he wrote a biography of Genghis Khan, and following on its success turned more and more to the writing of non-fiction, penning numerous biographies and popular history books until his death in 1962. The success of Lamb's two volume history of the Crusades led to his discovery by Cecil B. DeMille, who employed Lamb as a technical advisor on a related movie, The Crusades, and used him as a screenwriter on many other DeMille movies thereafter. Lamb spoke French, Latin, Persian, and Arabic, and, by his own account, a smattering of Manchu-Tartar.
From Wikipedia
Born in Alpine, New Jersey, he attended Columbia University, where his interest in the peoples and history of Asia began. Lamb built a career with his writing from an early age. He got his start in the pulp magazines, quickly moving to the prestigious Adventure magazine, his primary fiction outlet for nineteen years. In 1927 he wrote a biography of Genghis Khan, and following on its success turned more and more to the writing of non-fiction, penning numerous biographies and popular history books until his death in 1962. The success of Lamb's two volume history of the Crusades led to his discovery by Cecil B. DeMille, who employed Lamb as a technical advisor on a related movie, The Crusades, and used him as a screenwriter on many other DeMille movies thereafter. Lamb spoke French, Latin, Persian, and Arabic, and, by his own account, a smattering of Manchu-Tartar.
From Wikipedia
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
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December 6, 2024Suleiman the Magnificent: Sultan of the East is classified as a biography, but my memory says it was more a hybrid novel/biography, along the lines of Lamb's earlier and better-known book, Genghis Khan: Emperor of All Men. Both books use novelistic techniques and indulge some literary license to explore and enliven their subjects. Lamb appealed to popular taste by dwelling on the more sensational aspects of Suleiman's life and reign, a fact that these days would be sure get him branded an "Orientalist." And there'd be some merit to this criticism.
But on the other hand, it's a fact that the imperial court of sixteenth century Turkey was a milieu of murder, sexual intrigue, and extravagance; contrary to a common, defensive assumption, stereotypes rarely emerge without some basis, as if from a void. Lamb's choice of emphasis might be questionable, but his fidelity to historical fact was solid and admirable. Dramatic, vivid, and well written, his book remains a compelling introduction to the life of the most famous of the Ottoman Sultans. It was among the first of many books I read on Ottoman history, and was responsible for stimulating my curiosity about this fascinating empire. I can still recommend it to anyone interested in this subject.
Fans of Robert E. Howard might also be interested to know that this book was undoubtedly the primary inspiration for Suleiman's memorable depiction in "The Shadow of the Vulture."
But on the other hand, it's a fact that the imperial court of sixteenth century Turkey was a milieu of murder, sexual intrigue, and extravagance; contrary to a common, defensive assumption, stereotypes rarely emerge without some basis, as if from a void. Lamb's choice of emphasis might be questionable, but his fidelity to historical fact was solid and admirable. Dramatic, vivid, and well written, his book remains a compelling introduction to the life of the most famous of the Ottoman Sultans. It was among the first of many books I read on Ottoman history, and was responsible for stimulating my curiosity about this fascinating empire. I can still recommend it to anyone interested in this subject.
Fans of Robert E. Howard might also be interested to know that this book was undoubtedly the primary inspiration for Suleiman's memorable depiction in "The Shadow of the Vulture."
November 5, 2014
it's wonderfully written as writer was with.King Suleiman though I red translation in Urdu so I apploused both writer & translater.
well that was about the book writer and translater if we go in the life of King Suleiman but as I'm not in favour of kings and kingdom so I wouldn't express more about his kingdom I'd only write he was change then other rulers of his time
well that was about the book writer and translater if we go in the life of King Suleiman but as I'm not in favour of kings and kingdom so I wouldn't express more about his kingdom I'd only write he was change then other rulers of his time
November 8, 2016
This is a brilliantly written biography--one of the best writing approaches to an ancient biography I've read. I knew almost nothing about Suleiman the Magnificent. And what little I had heard from other historical sources had misrepresented him (thinking he wanted to conquer Europe). So it was a truly enjoyable read.
July 21, 2016
An in depth look into the character and persona of the most prolific Ottoman ruler Sultan Suleiman.
The book tries to identify and cross reference the historic events and the possible reasons behind him. As a person he was of much broader perspective but his anger & trust in the wrong persons did not only damage himself but also the future of one of the most powerful empires. The book is very well written with specific details of customs, social norms and specific events of that time.
If you are interested in Ottoman history then this is a must read.
The book tries to identify and cross reference the historic events and the possible reasons behind him. As a person he was of much broader perspective but his anger & trust in the wrong persons did not only damage himself but also the future of one of the most powerful empires. The book is very well written with specific details of customs, social norms and specific events of that time.
If you are interested in Ottoman history then this is a must read.
October 8, 2011
I think I am reading the 1951 edition, not the later edition. The spelling is horrible and the typos run rummpant. Had I not studied the background in college, I would be lost. Now, having said that, it is an amazing book. The battles are covered in a small paragraphs as are the love interest. No need to be overly graphic--'He won the battle.' 'He loved her.' The book is set in the mid 1500's, so there were crusades. The East and West are in dispute over lands, religion, succession rights--much the same as today.
Those issues resulted in part in WWI. So we have dark age, middle age and modern age problems discussed in this book. The Asian Tatars (the Mongols?) swept in a time or two to help their cousins in Europe (the Ottomans) completely confusing the warring nations. I am deliberately vague on specifics because one's nationality, religion, loyalties, etc., could change in the blink of an eye and in the heat of the battle. There is so much mystery surrounding these peoples.
Those issues resulted in part in WWI. So we have dark age, middle age and modern age problems discussed in this book. The Asian Tatars (the Mongols?) swept in a time or two to help their cousins in Europe (the Ottomans) completely confusing the warring nations. I am deliberately vague on specifics because one's nationality, religion, loyalties, etc., could change in the blink of an eye and in the heat of the battle. There is so much mystery surrounding these peoples.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 29, 2020
I got hooked on the "El Sultan" turkish soap opera, and read this book as well as "Empress of the East: How a European Slave Girl Became Queen of the Ottoman Empire to get information on the real story of Suleiman and Hurrem.
September 9, 2022
Very enjoyable book, a history of Suleiman's life and times, the events of his rule rather than a deep biographical portrait. Being written in 1951, I'm sure more modern historians could find fault with the sources and assumptions of the work, but Lamb has one thing that they mostly lack-- he is a great writer.
March 11, 2020
Dude writers ranting about the Western bias against poor Turks while savoring harems and shit-talking about women's rule😣 makes me wish for a TRULY well-rounded book about Suleiman, Ibrahim and Roxelana.
March 13, 2025
Birkaç noktada tarihsel hata olsa da, okuması keyifli ve tarafsız bir bakışla yazılmış güzel bir kitap. Tipik bir Harold Lamb kitabı.
December 29, 2014
Harold Lamb’ın Muhteşem Süleyman Kanuni isimli kitabı Osmanlı’yı bir Avrupalı bakış açısından okumak için çok faydalı. Genel olarak tarih kitaplarında olan bir tarafa göre kitap yazma sıkıntısını engellemek için farklı kaynakların kitaplarını okuyarak, yorum yapabilmek çok daha güzel geliyor bana. Bu kitabı da bu kategoriye sokabiliriz, genel kültür olarak bildiğim konulara farklı yorumlar getirmesi açısından iyi oldu. Dezavantajlarından bir tanesi eski tarihli bir kitap olduğu için o anki bilgilere göre yazılmış olması, bazı bilgiler güncelliğini yitirmiş olabiliyor.
Reviewed on December 29, 2014
Overall: 2.0/5.0
September 25, 2025
I love Lamb's historical retellings/novels/life stories/biographies, but this one is a little less dazzling. It starts great, but it gets less and less compelling through to the end. Still pretty good, still pretty easy and pleasant to read, and worth the time, but not as fun as others.
Lamb writes hybrid books, ones that could be novels or biographies or something else, and I like the novel type most. This starts that way and then slowly turns into a biography. The last 30 pages are about developments after Suleiman's death, which was the hardest and densest part to get through. but for that part, I would have probably given this a 4.
Lamb does an amazing job popularizing the history of figures and places that are usually given too little coverage in American history classes and media, and I give him a ton of credit. His research and writing are excellent. I definitely learned a lot about Suleiman and the way the Ottoman Empire expanded and threatened Europe during his lifetime. It answers a lot of questions I had about that time period. And, as always, it's a pretty good read.
I just feel like this book, if he had novelized it a bit more, made it a little more like some other biographical novels of his I've enjoyed more, it would have worked better. As a biography, it's fine.
Lamb writes hybrid books, ones that could be novels or biographies or something else, and I like the novel type most. This starts that way and then slowly turns into a biography. The last 30 pages are about developments after Suleiman's death, which was the hardest and densest part to get through. but for that part, I would have probably given this a 4.
Lamb does an amazing job popularizing the history of figures and places that are usually given too little coverage in American history classes and media, and I give him a ton of credit. His research and writing are excellent. I definitely learned a lot about Suleiman and the way the Ottoman Empire expanded and threatened Europe during his lifetime. It answers a lot of questions I had about that time period. And, as always, it's a pretty good read.
I just feel like this book, if he had novelized it a bit more, made it a little more like some other biographical novels of his I've enjoyed more, it would have worked better. As a biography, it's fine.
March 29, 2023
Buku ini menjadi buku pembuka terhadap mengenal lebih lagi Kesultanan Utsmaniyah.
Sulaiman, yang lebih dikenal di dunia barat sebagai 'The Magnificent', rupanya juga sosok yang tidak lebih seperti kepala negara lainnya. Ia dikenal sebagai sosok yang melankolis dan idealis. Berbeda dengan para penerusnya, ayahnya Selim I lebih dikenal sebagai sosok yang keras, sementara Sulaiman memiliki gesekan terhadap budaya leluhur mereka yang mengakibatkan akhirnya semasa kepemimpinnya banyak hukum yang dirombak (sesuai kemauannya sebagai sultan).
Buku ini mengenalkan kita pada intrinsik dunia kesultanan, baik segi personal: pribadi Sulaiman 'Sang Sultan', dan para istri sultan, maupun segi politik: para wazir, mufti, kedutaan besar Venesia (yang berlindung di balik selimut, yang sewaktu-waktu dapat memperlihatkan dirinya), kampanye-kampanye perang (beograd, rhodesia, mohacs, buda, laut tengah, laut hitam, krimea, persia, dst.) dan anak-anaknya (beserta konflik yang menyertai mereka terhadap tahta).
Sulaiman, yang lebih dikenal di dunia barat sebagai 'The Magnificent', rupanya juga sosok yang tidak lebih seperti kepala negara lainnya. Ia dikenal sebagai sosok yang melankolis dan idealis. Berbeda dengan para penerusnya, ayahnya Selim I lebih dikenal sebagai sosok yang keras, sementara Sulaiman memiliki gesekan terhadap budaya leluhur mereka yang mengakibatkan akhirnya semasa kepemimpinnya banyak hukum yang dirombak (sesuai kemauannya sebagai sultan).
Buku ini mengenalkan kita pada intrinsik dunia kesultanan, baik segi personal: pribadi Sulaiman 'Sang Sultan', dan para istri sultan, maupun segi politik: para wazir, mufti, kedutaan besar Venesia (yang berlindung di balik selimut, yang sewaktu-waktu dapat memperlihatkan dirinya), kampanye-kampanye perang (beograd, rhodesia, mohacs, buda, laut tengah, laut hitam, krimea, persia, dst.) dan anak-anaknya (beserta konflik yang menyertai mereka terhadap tahta).
September 4, 2024
This is one of Lamb’s best biographies. He does a very good job of painting the portrait of Suleiman as Sultan of the Turkish Empire. Suleiman was a great ruler and treated his subjects fairly, except when it came to members of his family. He was a very good judge of people and deftly managed the military and bureaucratic leaders under him to stabilize the borders of his empire and maintain control of the Mediterranean Sea.
January 18, 2023
Truly outstanding. The sultan as a man with his strengths, weaknesses and how both played into events of the period. I had just finished "The Lion House: The Coming of a King" (also excellent) and wanted another perspective, a little more depth and to know what occurred after the death of Ibrahim.
November 20, 2024
H. Lamb delivers another gem.. From scenes of boyhood to the twilight of a dying Sultan we see the man SULEIMAN blossom in full blood. As usual with a biography of Lamb’s the narrative is ornamented with much flourish and conjecture, but remains grounded enough to never draw a skeptical reader’s suspicions. The political intrigue is a little grayer than some other of Lamb’s plots, but the lines are clear and the complete product is lovingly finished.
July 4, 2025
Well written biography of Suleiman the Magnificent. There are parts that are quite boring, but there are part (like the section about Captain Barbarossa) that were enthralling. Overall, does a good job of balancing minuscule detail with broad sweeping trends.
June 11, 2015
A historic monarch I was so eager to read about but was disappointed by the book. Interesting history, but the books wasn’t well written at all.
December 19, 2016
What a badass! He was an amazing man.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews